East Ayrshire Council: foster carer allowances 2026-27.
East Ayrshire Council publishes the weekly allowances it pays its own foster carers: £177.68 to £283.35 per child for 2026-27, plus a fee for the carer. These are the council’s figures, taken from its website on 2 November 2026.
East Ayrshire pays each child's allowance at the Scottish Recommended Allowance rates for 2026 to 2027, and adds a weekly household fee that rises with the number of children placed. A carer looking after one child aged 5 to 15 would receive the £206.71 allowance plus the £280 household fee.
Weekly allowance by age
| Age of child | Per week |
|---|---|
| 0 to 4 | £177.68 |
| 5 to 15 | £206.71 |
| 16 and over | £283.35 |
Fees paid to the carer
East Ayrshire pays one weekly fee per fostering household, set by how many children are living there, on top of the allowance paid for each child.
| Level | Per week |
|---|---|
| Household fee: one child | £280 |
| Household fee: two children | £420 |
| Household fee: three or more children | £560 |
Also published by the council
- Start-up payments towards household items (no amount published)
- Travel expenses towards fuel costs (no amount published)
How this compares
The national minimum allowance in Scotland is £177.68 to £283.35 a week depending on age (Scottish Recommended Allowance, 2026-27). The allowance covers the child’s costs; any fee is the part that is for you, and it is where councils and independent agencies differ most.
Independent agencies covering the same area publish their own weekly totals, often higher, with more expected of the carer. Use the pay calculator to see a year’s figure and the tax relief, or compare what services publish.
Thinking about fostering here? Compare every service that covers the area: Fostering agencies in East Ayrshire (2).
Source
Financial assistance for foster carers (East Ayrshire Council), checked 2 November 2026. Councils usually change their rates each April; if this page is out of date, tell us and we will correct it.